Trump tells ‘dictator’ Zelenskiy to move fast for peace or lose Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday denounced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as "a dictator without elections," warning that he must act swiftly to secure peace or risk losing his country altogether.

Trump’s remarks came in response to Zelenskiy's rebuttal of his claim that Ukraine was responsible for Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian leader accused Trump of being influenced by Russian disinformation. "A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskiy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left," Trump stated on his Truth Social platform. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded firmly, asserting that Ukraine would not capitulate. "We will defend our right to exist," he wrote on X. Zelenskiy’s five-year presidential term was set to conclude in 2024, but elections have been suspended under martial law, imposed in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion. Currently, Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory and continues to make incremental advances in the east. Moscow maintains that its "special military operation" is a response to the perceived existential threat posed by Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership. However, Ukraine and Western allies view Russia’s actions as an imperialist land grab. During a meeting with Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, in Kyiv, Zelenskiy expressed hope that Trump’s team would gain "a more accurate understanding" of Ukraine’s situation. His comments followed Trump's assertion that Ukraine "should never have started" the conflict with Russia. Zelenskiy also dismissed Trump's claim that his approval rating was as low as 4%, calling it Russian disinformation. "We have evidence that these figures are being discussed between America and Russia. That is, President Trump… unfortunately lives in this disinformation space," Zelenskiy told Ukrainian television. A February poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology reported that 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelenskiy.